# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S282
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

282 PARISH EDUCATION

6. To give recognition to the achievements of the educational
agencies of the congregation and the educational system of the
Church.

7. To invite and urge the congregation and the community to
make use of the educational facilities of the Church.

Emphasis is thus given to the over-all promotion of Christ-
centered education. That this promotion is needed is evident from
the data cited for each of the agencies of Christian education from
infancy through adulthood. Look where we will, there has been
much apathy and indifference in the important business of Chris-
tian education. The purpose of the materials prepared for Lu-
theran Education Week is to stimulate all congregations to study
their educational programs and to effect all possible improvements.

Reports reaching us from many Districts and from many in-
dividual congregations indicate that the materials made available
for Lutheran Education Week have been widely used arid that
the program as outlined has been greatly appreciated. Over’
900,000 educational tracts have been purchased by our congrega-
tions during the first three celebrations, and the other materials
offered for use in the observance have also had a gratifying sale.

Although many congregations are still not making use of the
materials, most congregations have at least set aside a special Sun-
day service in the interest of the occasion. Many congregations
sponsor in addition “open house” or parent visits to school,
weekday meetings in the interest of Christian education, and other
events. Some congregations have a full week of special meetings
devoted to Christian education.

If the many appreciative comments we have received are any
indication of the worth-whileness of Lutheran Education Week,
this special promotion of Christian education merits much wider
utilization.

State Support of Church Schools

Synod in 1944 resolved to adopt as operative for the next three
years the report of the special committee which was appointed by
the Board for Parish Education to study the problem of government
aid to churches in the field of education. This requires, then,
a re-appraisal of the position adopted in 1944.

The Board for Parish Education has given continued study to
the problem of State aid. To facilitate the re-appraisal of this
position by the honorable Synod, we shall submit first of all a brief
summary of the stand taken in 1944 arid then a re-examination of it.

The position taken in 1944 distinguished between two aspects
of the State’s school program: (1) The social service program
(library service, lunches, health service, transportation, etc., and
(2) The teaching program (curriculum, teaching, philosophy of